Category: expectations

leadership dot #4249: storms

April 17, 2024April 16, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Yesterday morning, the skies were sunny and it was hard to imagine that severe weather was lurking. But, true to the forecast, the winds picked up and the rain poured down. It proved to be a nasty afternoon and evening.

This weather pattern can be a metaphor for organizations. When the sun is shining, it’s hard for people to internalize that gloom may be on the horizon. If company leadership acts like meteorologists and forecasts the future, people either become anxious if they believe the predictions, or doubt their validity based on pattern shifts that made past predictions inaccurate. It’s hard to achieve a measured response.

While drastic weather changes can occur in the short term, most shifts that impact organizations occur over a longer period. Take advantage of that window to keep your team informed of changing elements and evolving patterns that may influence the organization’s environment. You don’t want people surprised or caught without their umbrellas.

leadership dot #4247: up to you

April 15, 2024April 15, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I went to a garage sale where items were not individually marked, but instead, you made “what you believe to be an appropriate donation” which was given to a local charity. I paid for my item but received a glare from the clerk. Apparently, she did not think my contribution was enough!

If you have a certain expectation in mind, it is better to state it explicitly rather than make people play the guessing game.

If you say “it’s up to you” how you do a task but mean “do it a certain way,” say that from the beginning
If “unlimited PTO” has a ceiling before your time away starts raising eyebrows, state a limit instead
If “I don’t care where we go to eat” is disingenuous, say where you actually want to go
If “we can leave whenever” means that you’ll start pacing after a certain time, be clear about what time you mean
If “get to it when you can” translates to “do it by Tuesday,” do both of you a favor by outlining a deadline
If “all you can eat” will prompt glares after two servings, be upfront about those limitations

Providing latitude sounds like a good idea until the uncertainty outweighs the alleged freedom. Clarity is a gift.

leadership dot #4153: contract

January 12, 2024January 11, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My nephew is on his high school basketball team and had to sign a contract before he was allowed to travel on an overnight trip. This document filled an entire page with 16 expectations explicitly spelled out, and the athlete had to initial each one to indicate acceptance.

Examples included:

I am expected to give full cooperation and respect to chaperones, coaches, hotel staff, restaurant staff, bus drivers, event staff, other coaches, opponents, and fellow teammates.
All athletes are expected to be in their rooms by 10:30 pm, with lights out at 11:00 pm.
A key to my room must be left with my coach or chaperone at all times, that regular bed checks may be made and that curfews will be strictly enforced.
No members of the opposite sex are allowed in my room for any reason.
Myself, clothing, luggage and other material goods may be searched if there is a concern about the possession of tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, weapons, or other harmful items or substances.

The document also outlines the specific steps that will be taken if there is a violation of any of the policies, including immediate return home, at the parents’ expense, before the trip has concluded. The student and a parent must sign the contract, in addition to the legal waiver and liability release.

It struck me that the expectations for a high school basketball trip are more clearly outlined than is the case for most employees.

I’ve heard from several clients recently about their employees not performing well, and I wonder if the employees know what “well” looks like. Whether about behavior, timing, the work product, or how they interact with others, being incredibly clear up front serves to help align expectations — or make it easier to take corrective action if they aren’t met.

leadership dot #4145: consistently

January 4, 2024January 3, 2024by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’ve had a few experiences lately with organizations or people who have provided stellar service in the past — only this time, their service was average, or maybe even good, but compared to their previous treatment, it became a disappointment.

Your goal should be to always meet expectations — so if you set the bar high, you need to work diligently to keep it there. If you can’t, you’re better off remaining consistently average rather than inconsistent in your greatness.

leadership dot #4110: good work

November 20, 2023November 19, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

A client was discussing the challenges she was having with an employee. “She does good work,” she said, “but there are issues with her not showing up for work, being late for meetings, or not functioning well as a member of the team.”

Ummm…that’s not doing good work.

I urged her to reframe her perspective and, more importantly, her language. The employee may be good at X tasks, but “work” needs to be more broadly defined to encompass operating effectively within the norms and expectations of the organization. “Good work” includes being present, engaged, a team player, etc. — not just performing XYZ tasks.

If the employee hears that they are doing “good work, but…” it’s a mixed message. They may wonder: “Am I doing good work or not?”

While the employee may be good at certain things, if the supervisor is talking to me about it in a coaching session, something else is going on besides “good work.” Feedback needs to be specific, clear, and direct if you hope to affect behavior change. “Good work” is far too broad.

leadership dot #4098: volunteering

November 8, 2023November 7, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

It is commonly acknowledged that service organizations are having a difficult time recruiting new volunteers. People have many commitments, see service only when “mandatory” (as in required classes in school), or haven’t been inspired to connect with a cause.

A deeper problem is those who volunteer in name only. People who say “I’ll help” but don’t follow through cause challenges in all kinds of organizations. Saying you’ll do some research on a topic and you’ll get back to the person — but never do. Agreeing to bring something to the bake sale — but forgetting. Signing up to be on a committee — but not signing up for any specific task. Those types of non-volunteering are worse than not committing at all.

Good intentions only go so far. Whether at work, at home, or in a volunteer organization, only raise your hand if your feet are committed to follow.

leadership dot #4094: perfection

November 4, 2023November 3, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

Some people strive for perfection and expend a lot of mental and physical energy trying to achieve it. But have you ever stopped to think that even 99.9% reliability (perfection in the technical world) still means 526 minutes of downtime — almost 9 hours/year?

For some situations, a cumulative impact of nine lost hours would be a serious problem. Surgical equipment, airplane radar, 911 systems, power grids, and other essential services. But for the average person, achieving more than 99.9% at most tasks requires more angst and effort than the payoff is worth.

You’ve got 524,160 minutes each year to work with. Don’t waste any of them fretting about how to make them all perfect unless it’s a situation where it truly, truly matters that you achieve that goal.

leadership dot #4064: delegating

September 29, 2023September 28, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I’m working on a volunteer committee with a few core team members responsible for a very large task. The group is great and willing to jump in and do whatever it takes…

…but too often, they take care of things right away instead of engaging one of our volunteers to help. I get it — often, it’s so much easier to do something yourself instead of deploying a stranger, explaining things to them, etc., but in the long run, it’s not sustainable.

The same is true in organizations with staff. Instead of sharing the context, training employees on the process, and empowering them to do something new, we keep doing things ourselves. While it IS easier to do things on your own initially, that strategy only works for the short term. Long term, it’s almost always better to have the assistance of someone else.

Commit to preparing someone for future delegation. You don’t want to just hand off a task and run, but the time you spend developing someone now will pay dividends over and over in the future.

leadership dot #4016: code of conduct

August 6, 2023August 5, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

My insurance dictated that I had to switch providers, so I recently visited a new medical practice for an appointment. In addition to health history, insurance information, and the usual litany of questions, I was required to acknowledge the medical group’s Patient Code of Conduct.

There were several things I could do that may result in termination of care, including not canceling 24 hours in advance. But what really caught my attention was the list of behaviors that are prohibited, including “physically assaulting or threatening to inflict bodily harm, making verbal threats to harm another individual or destroy property, intimidating or harassing staff or other patients, and making threats of violence through phone calls, letters, voicemail, email, or other forms of written, verbal, or electronic communication.”

Have we really gotten to the point where such obviously unacceptable actions must be put in writing?

Somewhere along the way, someone made the choice to spell out nine unacceptable behaviors and ten prohibited behaviors as a code of conduct for patients. I doubt that the offenders will withhold their rant because of this piece of paper, and it is off-putting for the majority who act in a civilized manner. Wouldn’t it have been more welcoming if the list included ways that they wanted the patients to behave instead of harping on how they shouldn’t?

In any communication, you can expect the worst from people or present your message outlining what is desirable. Opt for assuming the best.

leadership dot #4015: rebates

August 5, 2023August 4, 2023by leadership dots by dr. beth triplettLeave a comment

I just received a $35 prepaid card from my dog’s prescription provider. Whoo hoo — it felt like free money — until I remembered that I already paid $335 for the drugs. The same momentary euphoria occurs when retailers like Menards or appliance companies send rebate checks — our brains don’t process the “rebate” part and it feels like a bonus.

Of course, the pricing structure of these companies has been intentionally structured for that exact reaction. I would have still been grumbling if my dog’s drugs were $300 instead of $335 but this way, there is at least a positive moment around the transaction. It’s the same with college tuition, discounted by financial aid — people feel better about receiving a scholarship instead of paying a lower full price, even though the bottom line is the same.

Think about how you price or offer what you provide. Would you be better served by increasing the cost and delivering a bonus on the back end, either as a rebate or a surprise perk? Could you benefit from implementing a strategy that allows for instant rebates instead of delayed rewards? Or, perhaps offering a loyalty program with rewards that reduce the overall outlay over time may be the best route for you.

Pricing isn’t just about the revenue it brings in; it’s about the perceived value your customers have and how they feel about what you are offering. Providing a bonus may help you with both.